Philippines Turns Over to Beijing Ex-Chinese Govt Official Wanted for Graft

Chinese immigration police escort Xie Haojie (center), who was arrested on Sunday in Manila in an operation coordinated with Chinese authorities, after he was presented to media in the Philippine capital, Jan. 16, 2019.

AP

An ex-government official from China wanted for “corruption and economic crimes” involving U.S. $210 million faces deportation after being arrested in the Philippines and turned over to Chinese authorities in Manila, the Filipino immigration bureau said Wednesday.

Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) and immigration agents took Xie Haojie, 49, into custody during a raid on Sunday at a condominium in Pasay city, a suburb of Manila, Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said.

Xie had been hiding in the Philippines since last year after fleeing China to evade prosecution over a criminal offense, Morente said, adding that his counterpart in Beijing had asked PACC to help them track down the fugitive. Both agencies had coordinated closely with each other in making the arrest, he said.

“He will immediately be deported back to China so he could face the cases lodged against him. His name will also be included in our blacklist to prevent him from re-entering the Philippines,” Morente said of Xie.

“We will not tolerate the presence of undesirable aliens using the Philippines as a hideout. Fugitives will be sent back to face their crimes,” he added.

After Xie was presented to reporters in Manila, senior officials from the Philippine anti-corruption agency and Philippine Bureau of Immigration “turned over Xie today to Chinese authorities in a ceremony held at the office of the PACC at the Palacio del Gobernador in Intramuros, Manila,” immigration officials said in a press release.

The arrest was tied to the Chinese government’s all-out campaign against corruption that cracked down on abusive government employees, including high-ranking officials.

Xie was under investigation for allegedly embezzling public funds and taking bribes in his capacity as a general manager of a state-owned enterprise, said La Yifan, director of international cooperation for China’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, according to a report published by the Philippine Star on Wednesday.

“The Philippines and China will continue to strengthen our cooperation in going after Chinese fugitives hiding in our country, including former government officials wanted for corruption,” Morente said.